ORLANDO, Fla. — A diner in Pine Hills has a feel of going back in time.

• Diner has had four owners over the years
• Remains an affordable, safe place for Pine Hills residents
• Pine Hills crime down 18 percent in last year

The faded table tops, plank-covered walls, and unique light fixtures show how long people have frequented Mr. Quick's diner at 5615 West Colonial Drive.

"Like it still looks the same, the same people are here," said Janay Thomas, a Mr. Quick customer.

Change is inevitable but sometimes people do not want change.

"I would hate for anybody to try and change anything, more than likely they are going to screw it up," said Walt Hunt, 84, another customer.

Some of the customers shared how long they have been coming to Mr. Quick.

"I'd say probably since I got out of the Army in '93," said David Rucker a longtime customer.

"I have been coming here since I was a little girl," said Thomas.

"A loooooong time," said Hunt. He is not sure of the exact year, but knows he definitely has been grabbing breakfast here since the 1970s.

Even the staff have been at Mr. Quick for some time.

"I have over here 33 years, almost 34 years," said Lisa Cooper, one of the servers.

"May was 19 years," said Bob Tyler, one of the restaurant cooks.

The small diner sits on a corner in Pine Hills, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Orange County. It's an area that can't seem to shake an unfortunate nickname.

"We are very proud of Pine Hills, and hopefully we can change the name from Crime Hills to Pine Hills," said Cooper.

Long-time residents attest that the area was not always referred to as "Crime Hills."

"In the 60s, Pine Hills was where everybody wanted to come to," said Rucker.

In the 1950s to the 1970s homes were built and business was good.

"Ken (the former owner of Mr. Quick) kept the prices low so the blue collar worker could work all day, come in for lunch, bring their family for dinner, was here for the weekends, and then they would go out at night," said Cooper.  

New housing developments being built in the 1980s and 1990s in other parts of the county hit the area of Pine Hills hard. As a result, people began moving away from the area.

"When I graduated 1986, we started seeing a little bit of the crime go up in this area," said Rucker who has lived in Pine Hills his entire life.

"A lot of it had to do with gang-related stuff I believe. When I went into the Army in the 90s, it really got bad, what I heard, got a lot worse. And it's still kind of a mess today," he continued.

In the last few years there has been a bit of a change which is prompting hope.

"The statistics say the crime is down," said Cooper.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office stated that crime was down 38 percent since 2015 and down 18 percent in just the last year.

"A lot more people coming into this area," said Carl Ramos.

More people in the area is helping businesses like Mr. Quick stay afloat but not all businesses have the same name recognition in the area.  

"There is not that many mom and pop restaurants anymore," said Cooper. "So we are very blessed that this is still open."

The key to surviving appears to come from the strength of the Mr. Quick employees and owner.

"This is my second home," Tyler explained.

The talkative cook who seems to have a joke or a smile ready for each and every customer said that the restaurant has given him a lot in return.

"Confidence, stability, friends," said Tyler with tears in his eyes. "I have quit here before, I disappeared. I had issues and I took off, twice. And they tracked me down and brought me back."

The diner is now known as a place that won't quickly give up on its staff or customers.

"Feels like home, it’s just home," said Thomas.

In the last 40 years, Mr. Quick has gone through four owners, but always maintained it's commitment to stay an affordable, safe place for the people of Pine Hills.